Just how did Angel come back
by Hurlekain
Summary: I think the title says it all.
1. Setting the Scene

Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, not the ones from Marvel or from Joss Whedon or anywhere else I may have borrowed them from. Only thing that belongs to me here is the idea. And now, for your approval. Warning: Language and suggestive scenes.  
  
"Just How Did Angel Come Back From Hell"  
  
In the space of an eye blink Angelous found himself once again thrust back into the dark recesses of Angels mind. The eyes that opened from that single blink belonged wholly to Angel. Confused he glanced around and then looked at Buffy, standing before him with a sword pointed at his chest.   
  
"What's happening?" he had asked.   
  
"Shhh. Don't worry about it." Buffy whispered into his ear as she held him close. She then leaned in to kiss him lightly one last time saying "I love you."   
  
"I love you." Angel whispers back.  
  
"Close your eyes." Buffy tells him and he does so.  
  
The deep emotional pain was perfectly clear on Buffys' face as she stepped back slightly then thrust the sword forward, sliding the blade through Angel's chest. At the intense pain Angels eyes snapped open in hurt and wonder.   
  
"BUFFY?"  
  
The energy from the still forming portal entwined around Angel. He reached out plaintively towards Buffy just before he disappeared from sight within the collapsing portal. The statue of Acathla stood silently, accusing Buffy of murder as she dropped the sword and slowly walked away.   
  
The crystal plane in which this scene was taking place shimmered as a young girls hand passed across it. A few muttered words in a forgotten tongue are heard as a new scene reveals itself within the lattice. It is a place straight out of Dante's worst nightmares.   
  
Rivers of molten rock, fire and brimstone, cries of eternal agony and damnation and a monstrous horned beast sitting upon a throne of human bone. Diablo, Lord of Terror, one of the highest powers of Hell, the demon dimension.   
  
Standing better than twenty feet tall with scaly red skin, he appears as a cross between a spiked dinosaur and a human. Re-bent legs, saurian tail ended with a triple spike, molten yellow eyes, huge razor sharp fangs and twin massive horns curving forward from either side of his head. A third horn juts from his chin as a well as a dual line of long spikes adorn his spine. His visage at least earns his title, his actions make it necessary.   
  
Even now, simply sitting, waiting upon his throne he invokes the deepest fear in those around him. Even those who are counted among his faithful servants. His eyes flash with anticipation as a portal forms some distance before him and between two smaller but still imposing enforcer demons. A human form is ejected from the swirling energy to land facedown upon the reddish dirt. The portal is gone faster than it arrived and the two enforcers each use an arm to pull Angel to his feet and beyond.   
  
Suspended between the twelve foot demons Angel can't avoid seeing the creature who has been awaiting his presence. His groan of dismay was entirely internal; he wouldn't give this beast the satisfaction of seeing it. It didn't matter; Diablo could smell despair from halfway across a lake of fire. He grins as he stands and approaches his new plaything. A low rumble of pleasure can be heard from deep within his chest as he stops before the petty human.   
  
"Angel... it is a pleasure to meet you at last." Diablo's voice is deep and full of subsonic resonance's, so much so it is almost felt more than it is heard. "Of course you would disagree and yet, that too pleases me." Using the tip of a finger he forced Angels face upwards to meet his gaze. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this moment?"   
  
Angel bravely cocks an eyebrow upwards then answers "Not long enough."   
  
His foolish bravado amuses Diablo whose form shakes with a deep mirth. It is a sound meant to express his joy and yet it sends souls and demons scampering in fear.   
  
"No dear Angel, I have been waiting far TOO long. If it wasn't for the excellent work you performed as Angelous I would have sent for you much sooner than this." the beast stepped back from his prize. "But now that I have you and your... undivided attention, allow me to introduce you to an old friend of yours. Angelous."   
  
This time Angel did groan out loud as his vampire self came strolling out from behind the enforcers restraining him. His jaunty grin was made all the more unbearable by the fact that he seemed to be perfectly at ease in his new environment. But then again, this was home to the vampire.   
  
"Hello brother." Angelous crowed "I'm looking forward to spending, ooh, eternity with you... screaming in pain that is." He moved closer to his mortal twin. "I'm sure you remember how good I am at torture and I just know that together, we can come up with things that would make Pinhead jealous." The mention of that name drew an unwanted hiss of disgust from Diablo.   
  
"Mention not that freak of Hell. Leviathan has no right tampering with souls in such a manner and then setting them upon others as if they were demons in their own right." Truth to be told, which demons rarely did, Diablo was actually jealous that his older cousin was allowed living souls within his grasp. Something Diablo had never had... until now.   
  
"Forgive me my Lord and Master." Angelous bowed to the Lord of Terror. "But I have learned that humans have a capacity for evil which can rival all but the most powerful of Hells minions."   
  
"Be that as it may, I will have none of that work here. Take your prize and be gone, I have other issues to which I must attend." With that Diablo dismissed the vampire and enforcers with a wave of his hand. As they retreated Angel heard him one last time "Please feel free to enjoy your stay, my mortal Angel." Followed by that same evil laughter.   
  
Outside the light cast by the scrying crystal a deep gravelly voice spoke "Big guy is just bloody full of himself, eh boss."   
  
The demons face is momentarily lit by the glow of a cigar as the he pulls deeply upon it. Even though it is pale purple, covered in more of a suede like hide and with a single short upturned horn above his forehead, it is only slightly less imposing than Diablo's own visage.   
  
"He has reason to be S'ym." came the response.   
  
This voice could best be described as that of a horny angel. It was a husky voice which spoke the words softly and yet none had to strain to hear them. The words also carried with them a sense of complete confidence in her power and force of will. Obviously this was a being not to be crossed. With a slight gesture the scrying crystal faded from view while the source-less illumination within the reddish stone throne hall raised itself.   
  
"He's been a prime power since before man's fore-fathers existed."   
  
"Big fraggin deal, he doesn't act it." S'ym was revealed as a ten foot demon with longer arms than legs and a long, again, saurian style tail. His heavily muscled body covered in a simple leather vest and shorts. His boss appeared to be his complete opposite, a true beauty and the beast.   
  
"Well he is the youngest of them. Give him time. Demons like him tend to take longer to mature fully." She was barely 5'7" with waist length straight blond hair, lightly tanned human skin and purest blue eyes. Eyes which could hold the warmth of passion one moment and the cold fire of the void in the next. Her tight athletic body was highly revealed by the full sleeved white leather halfshirt and the ankle length loin clothes attached to the front and rear of a metal link belt barely resting upon her hips.   
  
She grew quiet as she rested her chin upon a hand propped on the arm of her intricately carved red stone throne, while the back of one ankle lightly caressed the front of the other.   
  
"Oh boy, I know that expression, Boss is up to sum'thin." S'ym spoke out loud but mostly to himself.   
  
The various other multi formed demons dared not approach any closer than their concealing shadows. Their Mistress was fickle and easily angered and none of them felt like dying at the moment.   
  
"How true S'ym, how true." she smiled as she spoke.   
  
To not know this girl and see this smile was to assume she was thinking of a boyfriend or lover or maybe even the latest fashion that was soon to be hers. S'ym, knowing her like he did, took a slight step backwards and wondered if he could leave without attracting her attention. Not a chance but he wondered none the less. His Mistress suddenly stood and turned to her chief demon to ask in a pleasantly conversational tone   
  
"S'ym, how would you like to take a trip with me?"   
  
"Be S'yms pleasure, Boss." he replied but his slight hesitation and lack of grin betrayed that it would probably be anything but his pleasure.   
  
"I'm sure it would." The girl agreed while knowing better.   
  
Then with a gesture her reignment was transformed into a silver armor covering her body from the neck down as a second skin would. The armor flexed and moved with every muscle while holding her body firmly and securely. A second gesture brought a long sword into being, along with a sheath strapped across her backside. As the sword settled home the armor shifted, seemingly of its own accord, into a more ornate form, slightly mirroring full plate mail but with detailed etchings and symbols.   
  
"Ooo," S'yms voice was laced with sarcasm "formal wear. Who we going to see, Boss?"   
  
She grinned as if S'ym should have been able to figure it out for himself but then said "Diablo." anyways.   
  
S'yms small cry of dismay was swallowed along with him and his Mistress in a golden disk of light. When it passed they had gone elsewhere. The demons remaining behind were left to wonder what fun the Mistress had decided upon now and whether or not it would actually be fun for them as well. Probably not. 


	2. Let the Games Begin

Lord Diablo held up a single clawed finger indicating to Andariel that he wished her to stop speaking for a moment. The Maiden of Anguish was no fool and she had stopped before the digit had been fully extended. Diablos nose twitched as he felt-sensed something approaching. Something powerful and wicked and yet... almost mortal.  
  
Now Andariel could feel it as well. As the feeling clarified into a distinctly female presence Diablo smiled.   
  
"DarkChild!" was the single word he growled with pleasure.   
  
"Coming here, Lord?" Andariel risked asking.   
  
"Yes!" Diablo stood and moved two steps away from his throne. "I have always desired to meet this mortal wench. How nice she has decided to pay me a visit."   
  
Andariel moved to stand next to Diablo, even though her own eight foot height was dwarfed by the might of the Lord of Hell, she still presented an impressive form. Her body was that of a well endowed human female, clad in only a g-string but with four scorpion style legs and tail extending from her back.   
  
"Permit me to stay Lord?" she requested. She too desired to meet the young Mistress of Limbo. She was curious as to how such a frail thing as a human female could garner the respect which she had heard as rumors from her fellow Named Demons.   
  
"Of course my dear Maiden, of course. As long as you keep your mouth shut." Diablo warned her and grinned. "She's here."   
  
As one the turned towards the open flat stone, perhaps fifty feet across, filled with Diablos personal symbol. There in the center a disk of golden light appeared followed instantly by S'ym and his Mistress. The disk faded again upon their arrival.   
  
"DarkChild." Diablo rumbled in pleasure yet again.   
  
"Lord Diablo." the blond girl responded and bowed on one knee, S'ym quickly following the gesture. "I am pleased to be recognized by such an auspicious entity as yourself."   
  
She slyly watched the slight twitch of Diablos face as he tried to remember what that word meant. Finally deciding that there was no insult tended and gave her a slight acknowledging bow and allowed her to stand.   
  
"And the Lady Andariel, a pleasure doubled." She openly allowed her eyes to rake across the Maidens mostly naked form in appreciation of her ample womanly attributes. The gaze and it's implication that Andariel was more appealing than himself was not lost on Diablo but again there was nothing to take umbrage at.   
  
"And what can the Lord of Hell do for the Mistress of Limbo." Not so subtly reminding her of their respective stations, although he had elevated his own.   
  
"I have come to make an appeal to which only one of the Lords of Hell could hope to satisfy."   
  
At the slight stress of the word one S'ym wanted to run in terror. Provoking local demons and maybe a Named bastard or two was one thing but to match wits against an omega level power was suicide in his book. But she was the Boss and she was still smiling nicely, as was Diablo, for now.   
  
Andariel on the other hand had acquired a sly look to her eyes and neatly side stepped twice, giving the indication that she was simply an observer in this particular game. Although she was the Maiden of Anguish, she had no desire to partake in that particular experience at the moment.   
  
Diablo, fortunately, only heard the fact that he had something which the DarkChild desired. A bargaining point in his favor and to his knowledge she had nothing he desired.   
  
"And who, little mortal, could that Lord of Hell be?" Of course he knew the answer, he just wanted to hear her say it and the little mortal couldn't be taken as an insult for, in comparison to him, it was true.   
  
"Why the great Lord of Terror, of course, my dear Diablo." DarkChilds eyes danced in merriment as he accepted the compliment and the tiny slight of omitting his title while addressing him. Another twitch of his upper lip indicated that he was beginning to tire of these games of words but he had trapped himself into playing.   
  
"So you come before me, to ask a boon..." as he spoke he moved back to his throne and looked over his shoulder "dressed as a mortal. I should be offended."   
  
Andariel translated to herself: I will be offended if you do not show me your true form. Now! How like Diablo to demand something which DarkChild would probably give freely. Andariel turned her gaze back to DarkChild to await her answer.   
  
She did not have long to wait. A single thought began the change which was finished a moment later. Now standing before them was the form of a true demoness. Both Diablo, from his throne, and Andariel took a moment to drink in the DarkChilds true beauty.   
  
Her skin was now red, eyes pools of yellow-gold the same color as her hair. Her legs were now like the ancient satyrs, re-bent with cloven hooves. Her armor had retreated into a armless top which left her midriff bare and a metallic thong underneath a long red cape. The long thin black horns extended from her forehead above each eye, swept upwards and back. She now stood at eight feet tall and still with the regal bearing she had maintained through the entire visit.   
  
"And does this please the Lord Diablo?" DarkChild asked in a now slightly deeper and echoing voice. Andariel at least found the change, all of them, much more stimulating.   
  
"Very much so." Diablo looked on with apparent lust. For a half- breed she is really quiet fetching. He thought to himself. "Now, of this boon you seek..."   
  
DarkChild smiled her lovely and lethal smile. Diablos games had come to an end but hers were about to begin in earnest.   
  
"I have come into the knowledge that you have a living soul in your possession." That caught Diablo off guard and his eyes narrowed at the young Magus. "A soul by the name of Angel. I wish to bargain for his life."   
  
"NO!" Diablo responded simply. "My little mortal Angel is here to stay. Nothing you can offer will change that."   
  
Now it was DarkChilds turn to narrow her eyes. "Without even hearing my side of the bargain?"   
  
"Speak then but be quick about it!" He was quickly losing his patience and S'ym was becoming more nervous, as was Andariel. S'yms Mistress smiled and took a more seductive pose as she spoke.  
  
"As you know, I am not restrained by the Powers-That-Be." As she said this Andariels eyes widened and back stiffened in Terror.   
  
Just to mention that name had been known to send Lord Diablo into a rage and that was when he was in a good mood. She slowly turned her head as DarkChild continued speaking. "As such I offer you my services for three distinct events of your choosing."  
  
Diablos eyes were a maelstrom of fury as he lent forward upon his throne, his taloned hands slightly crushing the ends of the arm rests. His thoughts were focused soley upon her first words not 'restrained by THEM.'  
  
"I am NOT restrained by THEM, DARKCHILD!"   
  
DarkChild pretended to be taken aback by Lord Diablos statement "Forgive me Lord Diablo, I did not mean to infer any such thing"   
  
Like HELL you didn't! Andariel thought to herself and slowly began making her way towards the exit. She didn't want to draw attention to herself and she wanted to leave as quickly as possible. DarkChilds next statement turned that thought into one of LEAVE NOW! Fuck'em if he sees or NOT! and she ran.  
  
"I am sure that I do not need to remind the Lord of Terror that Angel is an innocent soul, by their standards, and that they make take action to see him receive the fate he so deserves." Diablo had stopped listening but she continued. "I only wanted to see you gain by his departure rather than suffer a loss."   
  
First she had the audacity to even mention their hated name in his presence, IN HIS OWN HOME. And then to SUGGEST that HE, LORD Diablo, was actually restricted by those doddering self absorbed fools in their higher dimension. And NOW to say that they could simply come and take his prize from HIM. His control was completely gone before her last words had been uttered but they served to seal the coffin, as it were.  
  
"How DARE you! Not only do you mention THEIR name in MY presence but you imply that I, LORD DIABLO, are in some way restrained by THEM! AND that THEY would dare to enter MY realm to remove MY prize."  
  
He came off his throne and began stalking towards the DarkChild. As his Mistress stood there quietly, S'ym was in almost a total panic, which he would never let show. Lord Diablo was about to come over and crush them like an insect and she hadn't summoned a stepping disk yet. He wished he could turn tail and run as Andariel just did.  
  
"Uh, Boss?"  
  
"DARKCHILD, nothing in any realm of reality will save you from my WRATH!" he was two full paces away when the golden disk appeared and S'ym and his Mistress disappeared. Diablos resultant rage could be felt across the dimension from any corner. It was a rage to make his eldest brother Mephisto proud.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
S'ym and his, now mortal seeming, Mistress reappeared in her throne room an instant after leaving Diablo. She scampered up onto her throne and summoned her scrying crystal with a grin from ear-to-ear. It appeared immediately and began showing her images of Lord Diablo raging across his cavern and destroying anything which would fit within his claws.  
  
"Could you have waited any longer Boss?" S'ym asked in an angry growl. After all, that had been THE Lord of Terror they had been dealing with and not even the DarkChild within her own realm would be able to defeat such a monstrosity of power.   
  
"Oh, probably another second or two." She smiled slyly at her servant "Why S'ym? Eager to try it again?" She laughed as the demon visibly paled for a moment. The scene in her crystal brought her attention back to it. Diablo was calming down from his tantrum.   
  
"Diablo is a big dude down there Boss. Might'n he seek revenge for that little stunt you pulled?" S'ym asked as he wandered closer to the throne to get a better look.   
  
The DarkChild shrugged "If I left him be, he would probably forget that this little episode ever happened. I didn't hurt him after all, just upset him a little." She sat back against her chair and watched her chief demon mull that over for a bit.   
  
"We're not finished with the Big Guy yet?" It was only halfway a question. He was hoping that he was wrong.   
  
"Oh no, S'ym. We've barely begun." Her lovely and lethal smile returned "I just needed to stir him up a little." Her hand made a casual gesture as she spoke and the scene in her crystal changed once again.   
  
"Ya mean, that the whole point of visit'n him was to piss him off?" S'ym didn't know whether to be outraged at or proud of his Mistress.   
  
"And to set the stage for Act 2." S'ym took two steps back as she rose and came down off the thrones dais. "I won't be gone long."   
  
As she spoke the demoness returned in the same outfit as before. She then summoned another stepping disk and vanished. S'ym was left to ponder what he had seen last in the scrying crystal before it had been dispelled by her departure.   
  
"Lord Diablo is not going to like this one bit." He muttered to himself. 


	3. The First move has been made

Angel threw his head back and SCREAMED again. His vampiric twin responded with cackling glee. He was just having far too much fun and it was only the first day. Of course there was no real passage of time in Hell so he was counting days as the time he spent with his mortal twin.  
  
"Poor, poor, Angel." Angelous raked a claw slowly down Angels face.   
  
He couldn't avoid the tender ministration as he was bound wrist and ankle against a rock face. Spread eagle with just the remains of his clothes for protection, he was completely helpless before his tormentor.   
  
"Do you want a drink of water?"   
  
"Could..." Angel croaked then tried to lick his lips and immediately regretted it "Could you make it iced tea?"  
  
He was going to be tortured for all eternity so he might as well give some back. Angelous growled and punched him hard in the ribs. Multiple cracks could be easily heard from the impact. Angel grimaced but couldn't avoid the pain.  
  
"Actually I could." Angelous said and summoned up a glass of iced tea. He looked at it and then Angel as if contemplating actually giving it to him. "Nah!" he said and threw it over his shoulder into a nearby river of blood.  
  
The two enforcer demons found that funny and the guttural sounds they made passed as laughter between them. Angelous turned to acknowledge their mirth when a flash of golden light caused him to turn even more.  
  
DarkChild allowed a slight smile to cross her face when she saw the effect of her arrival. The two enforcers, being totally naked, were very obviously aroused by her appearance. Even Angelous was sporting a suspicious bulge in his leather pants. She strolled forward and stopped just before the vampire.  
  
"Angelous." She greeted and acknowledged him with that single word. Angelous answering smile was full of future prospects.  
  
"I'm pleased to see that I am known to such a... lovely creature as yourself." His eyes wandered across her body again.  
  
"And this is the infamous Angel."  
  
DarkChild dismissed Angelous by walking past him towards his twin. His smile twitched into a rictous of displeasure as she stepped close to Angel and inspected him. DarkChild grabbed Angels crotch and slowly let her hand travel upwards from there. He didn't seem to notice until she got to his face and held it towards her.  
  
As she licked her lips contemplating a kiss, he pulled his head from her grasp. A look of fury and pleasure passed across her features, which was followed by a backhand across his face. The strength of the blow rocked his head sideways into the rock face and then back towards her. Three red lines of blood appeared where her nails had sliced open his cheek.  
  
"You haven't broken him." DarkChild spoke as she looked over her shoulder at Angelous.  
  
"Not YET." Angelous replied, promising her that he would eventually break. The demoness turned back to Angel, who was glaring at her, and smiled in anticipation.  
  
"That is no longer your concern." She said without turning. "He is in my hands now."  
  
Angel was obviously as confused as Angelous but he wisely kept quiet.  
  
"What? How dare... ? By whose... ?" He tried starting a few times and finally settled on. "Who in Hell do you think you are?"  
  
The smile turned to one of cold danger. If Angelous had seen it he would have stepped back but as it was he had no warning of what was to come.  
  
"DarkChild!" She said as her sword appeared in her hand and she spun on the enforcer demons. The first went down from a single swing through his thick neck. The second made as if to grasp her in his hands. But seeing as he was unarmed he only succeeded in being disarmed before the sword cut him in half from crown to crotch.  
  
Angelous had moved with her first swing as well, but he chose a direction away from her. He was a good distance away and moving fast when DarkChild finally turned her attention back to him. An out stretched arm made an arcane gesture and a fireball appeared, streaking after the retreating vampire. At the last second he seemed to sense its approach and threw himself into a side passage.  
  
"Oh darn, missed." the demoness spoke and then shrugged and turned back to Angel. "And now for you."   
  
Her soulsword flashed once for each hand and foot then Angel tumbled free of his prison.  
  
"Who..." Angel tried asking.  
  
"All in due time, dear Angel, all in due time." As she spoke a stepping disk came at her summons and whisked the pair away.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
S'ym had barely finished his comment to himself when his Mistress reappeared in full demonic glory bearing a prize. If S'ym had a heart it would have sunk through the floor at the sight of her new toy. He shook his head as he re-evaluated his last statement to something much stronger.   
  
"Oh boy, look what the Boss drug in." S'ym said keeping his opinion to himself.  
  
DarkChild tossed the half conscious form to him as she walked by. She then shifted to her mortal form, although this time she chose a black semi-transparent sheath dress with slits up each side almost to her waist, long sleeves and a very low back. The dress clung to each curve and movement as she re-seated herself on the throne. The scrying crystal was back in a moment.  
  
S'ym held up Angel in one massive paw and asked "Is this for me?"  
  
"No S'ym. I'm going to need him in a little while." She replied absently as she watched the happenings in the crystal.  
  
"If that's true Boss, you might want to fix him up a little." S'ym suggested as he poked Angel in the ribs just to hear them grind together. Angel groaned at the light touch.  
  
The words and groan pulled her attention back to her guest. An eyebrow arched as she took in his condition. S'ym, unfortunately, was correct. Angel needed to be tended to if he was to be of any use to her.  
  
"Bring him to my chambers." She commanded and teleported herself thence.  
  
"Oh, sure, she gets to pop in and out and all around but makes S'ym walk with... " he made a show of sniffing Angel and wrinkled his nose "stink-monkey here."   
  
S'ym grumbled as he walked to the DarkChilds private chambers. Only S'ym and two other demons were ever allowed within those chambers. If any other demon tried to enter the wards protecting the chambers would destroy it instantly. Only one had tried and his bleached skull now adorned the wall outside her double doors. S'ym didn't even consider whether or not Angel would be effected by the wards and simply walked in. Lucky for him nothing happened.  
  
"On the bed S'ym." DarkChild commanded from her balcony.  
  
S'ym glanced towards her as he laid his package down. She only stood out there if she was feeling very good about something or if she was wallowing in self pity. Either were emotions which S'ym had no use for so he just turned on his heal and left.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
Angelous ran through the caverns until he was much closer to Diablos throne than where he had met DarkChild. At which point he slowed to a stop. What exactly am I going to say. He pondered as he stood there for a moment. Not coming up with a suitable way to tell the Lord of Terror what had happened he decided to at least be the first to tell him.  
  
A minute later he entered the throne chamber and slowly approached his Lord. Diablo had calmed down since DarkChild had made her exit and was currently enjoying the taste of a roasted young blond human female. The appropriateness of the choice of consumables was not lost on his demonic mind and it had in fact helped to him to regain control. So it was with a casual gaze that he met Angelous approaching form.  
  
"Little Vampire, how is our new guest enjoying his stay." Diablo immediately inquired. Angelous step faltered and he came to a stop farther away from Diablo than he should have.  
  
"Lord Diablo, forgive my intrusion upon your repast." Diablos eyes narrowed at the vampire. "But I bring grave news and am loath for you to hear it."  
  
His snack forgotten Diablo turned fully towards the terrified Angelous. In the back of the mighty demons mind the words of DarkChild floated "that they may take action to see him receive the fate he so deserves". If she was right and THEY had come to remove him he would be furious. But, even with this thought, Angelous next words stunned him.  
  
"But I must inform you that the DarkChild has... taken your rightful prize from this place." It was all Angelous could do to remain standing before his dread lord and await the punishment which was forth coming. Diablos mind went blank upon hearing those words.   
  
"She?" He pondered out loud as the truth of what had been spoken hit home. "DARKCHILD, THERE IS NO WHERE OR WHEN FOR YOU IN WHICH TO HIDE! I WILL FIND THEE AND RIP THINE SOUL INTO INFINITY!"   
  
The volume of his yell and the fury held within sent Angelous soaring backwards into the far wall of the cavern, dowsing him into un-consciousness. Diablo then went on to express his RAGE against anything within his sight and reach. Many nearby souls and demons were torn asunder and cast into the flaming lake.  
  
Upon awaking, Angelous was greeted by the sight of Arioch standing casually before him along with a pair of enforcer demons. Arioch stood about six feet tall with a perfectly sculpted human male body yet this was in no way an indication of his true strength. His entire body appeared to be made of the absolute blackness between the stars of the heavens. No white of eye or teeth, nor red of gums or throat marred this ebony perfection. It was as if his form was the apotheosis of his Chaotic nature.   
  
"Finally you awake my Childe." Angelous thrilled at the caress of evil that was Ariochs voice. "Stand!" He commanded and Angelous obeyed.   
  
As he did he was able to survey the damage done; whole sections of stone had been scooped up and thrown, the sweet smell of burnt flesh and soul filled his nostrils and the parts of many demons and souls littered the remaining floor. Diablo was no where to be seen.   
  
"Where... ?" he began to ask but then felt it would be better not to.   
  
"Lord Diablo is there." Arioch pointed into the lake just as the great Demon Lord surfaced and pulled himself easily upon the shore. Molten rock and flame rolled of the mighty demons skin as if it was water. He was calmer but no less enraged.   
  
"Count yourself beyond lucky that you yet survive." Arioch cautioned him "But if you wish to continue with that condition remain silent!"  
  
"Arioch, it is good that you have arrived. I have a task for you which you should enjoy immensely." Diablos grin had nothing to do with mirth and everything to do with revenge. "You and Angelous are going to Limbo!"   
  
At his words Angelous shuddered yet again and Arioch simply smiled as a predator would just before a kill. He had heard all of the stories of the DarkChild and knew what had recently taken place. He had always desired a chance to test himself against the young Magus so this, to him, was a delightful happen-stance. 


	4. A nightmare, but whose?

A bad dream. Angel thought as he felt himself rise up through layers of consciousness. It was all a bad dream. I'll awaken to find myself in bed next to Buffy and all of this will be forgotten.  
  
He could even hear Buffy saying "Good morning, Angel." But the voice wasn't right.  
  
His eyes snapped open and he shot upright. He found himself in the middle of the biggest bed he had ever seen in his life. It was circular and about twenty feet across and yet it was dwarfed by the single chamber in which it was held.  
  
The elliptical room was made of reddish granite-like stone and must have been near a hundred feet on its long dimension and eighty on its short. The bed was situated at one end. In the middle of the room rested a magnificently huge fireplace which was open on four sides. The fire place was the center piece of a sunken sitting area filled with silk pillows, low soft chairs and covered with furs.  
  
Beyond the fireplace could be seen two pools of water, the larger was an irregular circle about thirty feet across. The smaller was more like ten but trails of water vapor on its surface indicated that it was heated. In the middle of one long side of the oval was a pair of double doors about twenty feet in height and width. To the other side was a forty foot long opening to a gigantic balcony, looking over an endless vista.  
  
He couldn't see much of the view from the bed but it didn't matter. His attention was taken by the absolutely gorgeous blond girl sitting on the edge of the bed in a near transparent black silky dress. The expression on her face was neutral but her eyes danced with amusement. It had been this girl that had spoken.  
  
"I said good morning." She repeated. "Where I come from it's considered to be very rude to ignore your hostess. Especially after she went through the trouble of tending to your injuries."  
  
At the mention of those injuries Angels mind filled with remembered pain and suffering. He quickly examined himself and found that not only had those injuries been banished, as if they never were, but that he had been dressed in a pair of loose black silk drawstring pants and a matching black silk sleeveless peasants shirt.  
  
"Uh, th-thank you." He was finally able to say past his surprise.  
  
His memory was starting to fill in details of the last thing he remembered, being rescued by a shapely demoness. He looked around the room but couldn't see her anywhere. But what the girl had said and the sound of her voice penetrated the gloom of Angels mind. THIS sweet young innocent looking girl WAS the demoness. As Angel turned back to her she smiled at his comprehension. He really was a quick one.  
  
"I see you've made the connection as to who saved you from Angelous clutches." Her innocent smile grew a touch of danger. "Don't jump to conclusions, not everything is as it seems. Are you hungry?"  
  
She made a slow pointing gesture to the other side of the bed. Angel turned and found a table full of food that hadn't been there a minute before. It took only a second for Angel to make up his mind whether or not to eat the food. The decision was helped along by a protracted low and painful rumbling in his stomach.  
  
He scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up but a bit too quickly. He felt himself swoon and start to fall. He was saved the impact by two small but quick and very strong hands. He looked their owner directly in her warm blue eyes and was taken aback slightly by the glimmer of pain within.  
  
"Thank you. Again." He told her quietly as she helped him to a chair.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I could help you out."  
  
She barely spoke above the whisper of silk her dress made, as she found her own chair, and yet Angel had no trouble hearing her. He couldn't help but follow her progress until she sat down. Then his attention was entirely focused upon the food before him. Nothing on the table was like anything he had ever remembered having before but the looks and smells were far too appetizing to ignore anymore. He piled servings on his plate from a couple of dishes and dug in. The blond smiled as she chose smaller portions for herself.  
  
"It's been quiet some time since you've had real food, hasn't it?" Angel warily looked her way.  
  
"You seem to know a lot about me."  
  
She shrugged as she poured herself a glass of a slightly glowing reddish-amber liquid. "I study anything which captures my interest. And a souled vampire does just that." As she spoke Angel continued to eat.   
  
"And, now a days, there aren't many things that are capable of that distinction." She was amused at his slightly puzzled look. "I've seen and done many things, Angel. Something's I've re-done just to see if they would turn out differently. I've even been involved with your life before."  
  
Before he could say anything she waved lightly and continued "Oh, don't ask me how. Just believe that I have." Her eyes shone in a way that Angel felt compelled to believe her.  
  
She had power beyond most things he had ever encountered before. He had many questions in his mind but two remained foremost.   
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am the Mistress of this place. Limbo, as I call it. I am it's absolute master and Magus. No one who enters MY realm is my equal. I am the one who wields the power of the Elder Gods and who, may someday, serve as their doorway through which they will re-conquer a world, a galaxy and an entire reality. Their DarkChild, if you will." She smiled her sweet shy smile and finished "But you, my dear Angel, may call me Illyana."   
  
He paused in his meal to try some of the glowing liquid and found, to his delight, that it was wonderful. He was also trying to absorb everything she had said. He recalled that Angelous had reacted with terror upon learning her name and now he seemed to remember a dark and dusty legend, which no one gave much credence to.  
  
A legend of a DarkChild sent to Earth at her masters bidding. Supposedly she gave assistance to King Arthur and Merlin before the fall of Camelot. He mentioned this to Illyana.  
  
"Hmmm" She pondered his question "It may have been me, or one of me. But then again it may yet be me." she refilled her goblet and stood. Angel found that he had had sufficient and did like wise. "It's difficult to explain Angel, but I think you can handle it."  
  
He followed her onto the balcony as she spoke. He was very interested in what she had to say. The view was breath-taking. The balcony was, in truth, a ledge protruding from the side of a mountain, over a thousand feet in the air with only a low stone railing around the edge. Angel felt a moment of vertigo and stood still until it passed.  
  
Out there, all around him, was an endless vista of jungles, lakes, savannah's, desert and forest sprinkled with lone mountains and a distant range. No earthly tectonics created this land.   
  
"This is Limbo. All of it, as far as you can see and beyond, is mine. It is a strange land full of beasts and demons. Some harmless but most" Her eyes took on a momentarily wicked gleam "are deadly. But what makes Limbo unique is that it exists without linear time or space. This, plus my own talents, allows me to travel almost limitlessly through time and space even between realities." She gave him a half grin. "It was this ability that enabled me to steal you away from Diablo and Angelous."  
  
Angel shuddered at the memories her words invoked. "I'd rather not talk about them." He told her.  
  
"Of course." She agreed while their eyes followed a large reptilian bird as it glided through the air. "All of this under my rule alone. Anything I could ever want is a gesture or jaunt away. Here, in this time and place, I am truly without equal. Do you have any idea how that must feel?"  
  
Angel had watched her while she told him of this place and her mastery of it and came to one conclusion. "Very lonely." She stiffened at his words. "You're all alone here."  
  
The realization struck a similar cord in Angels own heart. He knew what it felt like to be all alone in the night. Illyana whirled on him with venom in her eyes but upon seeing Angels countenance it faded away. He wasn't mocking or deriding her or even pitying her. He was identifying with what she was feeling.  
  
"More so than you can imagine." She admitted and turned back to the view. He now recognized the pain he had glimpsed earlier and that he saw in her very posture now. It was a pain with which Angel was very familiar with. He had spent almost one hundred and fifty years as a souled vampire where in he was shunned from both human and vampire society.  
  
He had been totally alone. All alone with the demon within himself. It wasn't until a half-breed named Whistler found him and brought him to Sunnydale did Angel begin to come to accept who and what he was. He was still working on this when it had been all ripped away.  
  
But instead of wallowing in the past he needed to focus on the now and Illyana. As he moved forward to speak, Illyana held up a hand and made is if to listen to a sound only she could hear.   
  
After a moment she smiled and said "Looks like this game's about to begin in earnest." She turned to Angel wearing a very dangerous smile and told him. "We're about to have company. It seems that Diablo isn't about to let you go with out a struggle."   
  
She turned and moved past him into her chambers again. "He has sent Arioch and Angelous with a score of enforcer demons into my realm to retrieve you."  
  
Angel felt himself shiver as he followed her inside. Arioch was known as the Father of Vampires, although no one was sure whether or not that was reality or just a title, and he was Named as the Demon of Chaos. A very formidable foe. Named demons were second only unto the Lords of Hell themselves.  
  
They exist two power levels below their masters. This meant that they were two orders of magnitude weaker than the Lords but it also meant they were still two orders of magnitude stronger than any mortal mage could ever be. As the Slayer has been described as being a force of nature, a Named demon could be described as a force of hellfire.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Angel asked as he caught up with Illyana. As she turned back to face him, her clothing was replaced, in an instant with her form fitting silver armor and flaming sword. Her countenance was that of one looking eagerly forward to the coming challenge.  
  
"Give them what they came here for..." for a second Angel was sure she meant him "A FIGHT!" With that a golden disk enveloped both of them and whisked them away to her throne room.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
Angel found himself standing at one end of a red stone room which reminded him of European cathedrals built in the middle ages, minus the beautiful stained glass windows. Hugh columns and flying buttresses supported a massive ceiling high overhead but there was no visible source of lighting. Angel imagined that a football game could be played with the walls of this single room. He heard Illyana greet someone behind him and turned to see.  
  
"Hello S'ym." Her voice was sultry and yet carried a weight of command.   
  
"Even'n Boss." came the gravelly reply from the demon standing near the throne. Angel stepped back once as S'ym came into view. This just elicited a chuckle from the hugh beast.  
  
"BOO!" S'ym told Angel as he lent forward slightly to give it emphasis.  
  
"Now, now S'ym. Angel is my guest." Illyana looked between them. "And you have to admit he took your appearance better than most."  
  
S'ym harumphed and pulled on his cigar "You mean like those pussies you keep -"  
  
The rest of what S'ym was about to say was lost in a howl of pain as blue bolts of power left Illyanas hand and crackled all across S'yms body. He jumped and smoked for half a minute and then she let him drop to his knees. Angel couldn't help but draw the comparison to the Emperor from Return of the Jedi.  
  
"You will never speak of them in such a manner again. UNDERSTOOD!" Her voice carried a definite promise of renewed pain for disobedience.  
  
"Ye-Yes Mistress." S'ym replied in a suitably cowed voice. But Angel caught the glare he sent her way from beneath his brow. It also was a promise... of revenge.  
  
"I trust that this little demonstration wasn't lost on you Angel." Illyana said as she sat upon her throne and summoned her scrying crystal. The crystal began showing scenes which Angel guessed were places within Limbo itself.   
  
"Not in the least." Angel stated while looking S'ym in the eye. Angel moved up the stairs of the dais to stand next to her throne. "Illy-" He was stopped by her warning look towards him.  
  
"Not here." She told him quietly. "Magus, Mistress or DarkChild if you please." There was nothing pleading in her voice. She was giving him the warning she hadn't bothered to extend towards S'ym.  
  
Angel understood S'yms feelings now; jealousy. Illyana was showing deference to humans over... her own kind? He wasn't sure about that now. As he looked at her it dawned on him that she was a half-breed. Why else would she prefer her mortal form to her demonic one.   
  
It explained the source of her tremendous power, it had always been theorized that a half-breed sorcerer, or sorceress, would be extra-ordinarily powerful and here before him was living proof that they were right. It also helped explain the feelings of loneliness she professed to earlier.  
  
"Of course, Mistress." Angel responded politely.  
  
She smiled at him while S'ym glowered. The scene in the scrying crystal changed again. This time the focus was upon an ebony runesword wielding figure striding purposely towards his destination. Angel easily recognized Angelous and the enforcer demons with him.  
  
"Arioch." Angel whispered and the figure stopped in his tracks with one hand raised. His attitude was if he was listening. Similar to Illyanas pose earlier within her chambers.  
  
It seemed as if he turned and smiled directly at Angel and continued walking with a renewed sense of purpose. Somehow, Angel realized, the Named Demon had overheard him. Angel turned wide eyes towards Illyana. He hadn't known that would happen and if the Mistress of Limbo found the results upsetting he would be in for a world of hurt. Instead she was looking upon him with a knowing smile. Her voice was calm and light as she spoke to him.  
  
"Yes, he heard you. But it doesn't matter. I wanted him to come here. This just saves me from having to lead him here myself." She looked past Angel to S'ym. "S'ym rally your boys together. We're going to have company soon."  
  
S'ym cracked the knuckles of each fist "Bring'em on Boss. We been itch'n for a good brawl." Illyana laughed at the demons enthusiasm.  
  
"I can always count on you to be ready for a fight, can't I S'ym?" S'ym just snorted his agreement. "Go on then. Enjoy yourselves." she indicated the others who had been waiting patiently in the shadows.   
  
"Just remember my instructions S'ym." She cautioned him as he turned to leave. He looked back over his shoulder and nodded.   
  
"What instructions?" Angel asked, forgetting to place an honorific with the question. She glanced at him via the corners of her eyes but ignored it.   
  
"I have a surprise waiting for our dear Arioch. And I would be so disappointed if he arrived in a condition unable to appreciate it."   
  
The smile Illyana wore reminded Angel that there truly were worse things than death and that this little girl was probably capable of most of them. He shuddered as he felt a chill which wasn't entirely physical. It caught the Magus attention.  
  
"Uhmm, we can't have you greeting our guests looking like a body servant now can we?"  
  
The question was entirely rhetorical. She considered it for a moment and then made a slight gesture with her near hand towards Angel. Angel had to admit that the sensation of his clothes changing form while upon his body was unique. The fabric grew thicker and stiffer, becoming leather pants and vest.  
  
Boots appeared on his feet and 3/4 gloves on his hands with bracers upon his forearms. The padding of the leather increased in some areas to provide protection while leaving a full range of motion. As an after thought Illyana added metal studs upon the padded areas.  
  
"That's better." Her voice was sultry. "You look good in leather." She was taking her time appreciating the view.  
  
"I'm protected but I'm unarmed." Angel pointed out the obvious. Illyana waved it off.   
  
"This is only for show. You won't need to participate. Anyways, there's nothing you could do."  
  
At first he bridled at that assumption on her part but then he remembered that he was fully human now and that made him less than a match for even a simple vampire. The enforcer demons that were coming would use his bones as toothpicks. She was right, he wouldn't stand a chance. 


	5. Pawns for your Rook and Bishop

S'ym grinned as he stepped back from the battle for a moment. It was bloody and furious but it was magnificent. A short distance away he spied Arioch laying waste to demon after demon. The moaning black runesword he wielded gave him a distinct advantage against his unarmed opponents. Although the enforcer demons were doing more than their fair share of damage. Being bigger and stronger than any of the demons in Limbo meant that they could take out four or five of S'yms boys before they were overwhelmed and brought down by sheer numbers alone.  
  
Angelous, on the other hand, was relying completely on his speed and the martial arts skills he had learned from his time with Angel. He had also brought a sword of his own but it wasn't a Chaos blade like Ariochs. S'ym sighed as he saw that he was going to have to pull some of his side back if he was going to leave any of the enforcers in one piece for the Magus. He reached out and grabbed a nearby cat-beast.  
  
"Tell Morg and T'lax groups to pull back to the second audience hall." When the beast nodded S'ym hauled his arm back and threw him across the battle ground to the area he needed him to go. The critter actually landed on Morg. It spoke quickly before the demon took out its rage upon the poor thing for disturbing his fight. Morg nodded and threw the cat-beast to T'lax and began quietly pulling back.  
  
S'ym snorted his satisfaction and turned to find Arioch again. He didn't have to look far. The Named Demon was cutting a swath through S'yms demons in a direct line to a large set of double doors. S'ym grinned as he thought about the creature on the other side of those doors. He bet himself that three more enforcers would die before Arioch could correct his mistake. He was wrong, it took four.  
  
---------  
  
Angel and Illyana had been quietly keeping track of the battle as it progressed through her fortress. When they reached the inside corridors Illyana brought S'ym to her by stepping disk. He was cut and bruised and in a battle rage but Angel got the sense that he was happier than he had been in quite some time.  
  
"Very well done so far, S'ym." Illyana praised S'yms control of the battle and the current state of his opponents. Arioch was getting worried and it was obvious by his hurried movements. He was down to only nine enforcer demons and the smaller spaces of the corridors only allowed them to move in a single file. Not a good position for invaders.  
  
"He surprised me by killing the ka'er." S'ym was amazed that Arioch had taken a hand in that fight. He had opened the double doors and the ka'er had struck with it's tentacles to claim two enforcers. Arioch had then lept onto the creature and killed it himself but not before the ka'er had claimed two more of Ariochs demons.  
  
"That's alright S'ym. I've been trying to figure out how to get rid of that thing anyways. Never did like Belascos little pet." Illyana let her face show her disgust over the beast. S'ym grunted his agreement. "How long until they reach us?" She asked but she could have simply looked herself. She wanted S'ym to know he was running this show.  
  
"Few minutes, tops." He told her. His pointy ears twitched and he looked towards the doors at the other end of the room. "Or maybe a lot less." He corrected himself.  
  
"Yes, quite." Illyana said and stood from her seat. Her armour shifted once again to leave everything below her breasts bare except for a silver mesh belt low around her hips holding up a long red cloth in front and behind. Her sword appeared and she placed it point down in front of her, both hands upon the end of the pommel. Her knowing smile in place she waited as the, now easily heard, fighting approached the rooms doors.  
  
A howl of pain and agony was heard without and then a solid blow upon the doors wrenched them open. Arioch strode through followed closely by Angelous and six enforcer demons. Angel wished he had seen how S'ym had managed to reduce him from the nine he had last seen. Arioch stopped a short distance before the dias. His red glowing eyes searched the hugh room but only found the three awaiting him.  
  
"DarkChild. This game has ended. The prize is mine. Relinquish him or pay the penalty." Arioch demanded.  
  
The shift to the demoness was instant. "But that's where you're wrong my dear Arioch. We've only just finished the preliminaries." With the passing of her words forty golden disks appeared, on the walls and in the air, dumping twice that many of Limbos biggest denizens into the chamber.  
  
"Arioch and Angelous are MINE! The rest... are MEAT!" She yelled to her faithful pets. With numbers such as these and the total surprise, the enforcer demons were quickly overrun and ripped apart. Arioch took down four of Limbos demons before only he was left standing.  
  
Angelous was currently residing within the grasp of a larger four armed demon near S'ym. More demons appeared to replace those fallen but none approached more than a few paces from the Named Demon. Arioch looked about the open circle he was left with and glared at the creatures about him. DarkChilds laughter floated to him from the raised dias.  
  
"Only now do you see the folly of your masters actions." She taunted him. "You never truly had a chance Arioch. This is my realm and no one DARES to challenge my might within it's borders."  
  
Arioch eyes narrowed at the DarkChild "Then I challenge you, DarkChild, to single combat." He shifted all his attention to her. "Or do you fear me?"  
  
Angel studied the grin on Illyanas face and within her eyes. She knew this was coming. She's been waiting for it. She really thinks she can beat him. He looked to Arioch and Angelous. I hope she knows what she's doing.  
  
"Very well Arioch, but be warned, you have never faced anything like me before." She didn't wait for a reply, her sword jumped up into her hand and she lept down to the floor. Arioch had enough time to get out of the way, barely, and then the battle was joined.  
  
At first they seemed to be evenly matched. Moveing back and forth across the space which the demons opened for them, swords flashing, parrying, thrusting and swinging. It was a wonderous dance to behold. Angel found himself wondering if anyone he had seen or even heard of would be a match for these two combatants. And to make things more interesting they seemed to be enjoying themselves immensly. In a way that made sense to Angel. It was always a relief to find your equal or better in something which you excel at. He listened to them speak when their swords crossed and were held together for a moment.  
  
"You're truly better than I expected DarkChild"  
  
She smiled at his compliment "And I still have more to go."  
  
"As do I!" Arioch said and as the song of his blade changed he trust her backwards with more strength than he had yet shown. She recovered in time to parry three incredibly fast blows but it was now obvious that she was on the defensive. Angel glanced to S'ym who seemed to be taking all of this in stride. Angel wanted to rush in and help her but knew that would only end up with him being dead or worse. The sword Arioch wields, Angel knew, was one of the Ancient RuneSwords, Wraithedge. Extremely powerful and with the added feature of being able to consume the lifeforce of its opponent. Not a pleasent way to die. And thus it was with complete horror that Angel watched a thin line of red blood form on Illyanas side after a particullarly fierce exchange.  
  
Arioch brought Wraithedge to his face and licked the thick red liquid from it's moaning surface. "Just a small sample of your half-mortal soul to fuel my desire. I thank you DarkChild."  
  
Angels mind fixated upon the words half-mortal so intently that he almost missed the expression of pure rage upon the DarkChilds face. As he watched the room seemed to darken and become more forbidding and it seemed as if three gigantic spectral shapes now looked on from the shadows.  
  
"DarkChild is calling upon her true might now." S'ym said with a touch of awe in his voice. Angel understood, this was the real power behind the sorceress. Her unnamed dark masters from that almost lost legend. Arioch gave no indication that he even saw or cared about the change in the atmosphere. Although he would haved had to have been a complete fool not to. Even the demons who served Illyana now seemed nervous and unsure of themselves.  
  
"It was an interesting game while it lasted Arioch." The spoken name was filled with venom. "But now it ends!" The battle resumed once more. Her blade, her soulsword now burned with a power nearly too bright to see. Leaving trails of flame behind it she forced Arioch onto the defensive and kept him there. Ariochs expression faded from smugness to uncertainty and would have continued to fear if he hadn't changed the rules of the engagement.  
  
The blast which left his hand was as quick as it was unexpected but Illyanas sword was there to deflect it upwards. "Attempting to catch me off guard, eh Arioch?" With her words she vanished in a burst of golden light. Arioch turned as fast as he could, faster than Angel could see, and yet he was still unprepared for her reappearance directly behind him. Her sword carved a swath from his backside before he could spin away. Arioch was now hard pressed just to stay alive as the Mistress of Limbo laid all her cards on the table. She continued to teleport to where Arioch was most weakest and hack at him. His answering blasts met nothing but empty air, red stone wall or bystanding demons.  
  
Arioch was beginning to panic. His form was releasing trails of black mist from his wounds as he fought to keep his head. He spun with another flash of golden light only to realize, far too late, that she hadn't moved with this teleport. Her blade slammed through Ariochs back and out the center of his chest. He cried in agony as he dropped Wraithedge, placing both hands around the silver flaming blade. The power within the blade seemed to consume him and he began to shrivel like a dead leaf.  
  
"Ah, Arioch, only now do you see." She lent forward to whisper huskily into his ear. "You were sent here to die." She tore the blade out of him and stepped back as he fell. His body had withered to an emaciated level.   
  
"You, like all the others, are mystic energy at your core." She grinned a deaths head down at his nearly sightless eyes. "My greatest power is in disrupting that energy, as you now know." She spun from him letting her sword vanish and returning to mortal seeming as she climbed to her throne. She addressed her demons from there.   
  
"Know this, my victory is your victory. This realm is ours. Let no outsiders belive they can come and take that away from US!" Her listeners approved mightly to her words and Angel saw the real victory in her eyes before she turned to S'ym.   
  
"Take these two to my dungeon and... entertain them." A wicked grin captured her mouth and eyes "Or at least yourself. But don't damage them permenately. I still have need of both of them." S'ym nodded once and Angel found himself and Illyana teleported in a flash of golden light. 


	6. Change is good?

Diablo turned at the approach of a similarly large demon. It stood as tall as Diablo but not as wide. Although obviously a Demon Lord he was thin with a pitch black skin, wrapped in dark gray bandages and pale yellow eyes. His oversized robes concealed a score of long thin tentacles extending from his backside. His mouth was set into a line of displeasure and it was directed at his youngest brother.  
  
"Baal, my brother." Diablo greeted his sibling with enthusiasm. "What brings the Lord of Destruction into mine domain?" He asked in a pleasent voice, for a demon, although he had a fair idea as to the reason for his prescence.  
  
Where Diablos voice was deep and strong, Baals was more like the howling wind of a master hurricane or tornado. "Diablo, I have come to end this matter of Angels soul."  
  
"Ah, but my brother, I have already ended this. Arioch should return soon with my prize and the damnable DarkChilds head." Diablo spoke in gleeful tones.  
  
"Arioch has been defeated by the DarkChild and the enforcer demons with him have been destroyed." Baal calmly informed the Lord of Terror. Diablo blinked in surprise and tried to decide what to do about yet another set back.  
  
"I shall go MYSELF to this Limbo and rip her world apart until they are both found and dead." He ground out the words with true intent but inside knew that he could not follow through on his threat.  
  
"Shall you?" Baal asked. "And tell me, how will you accomplish this task?"  
  
Diablo slumped in defeat upon his throne. Only less than Omega powers were free to move amoung the outer realms. Diablo and his six brothers were all of Prime powers. The Laws of All forbid him to move out of his realm without being summoned or through a portal such as the Hellmouth. "Brother, what shall I do?" Diablo asked.  
  
"Nothing." Baal commanded "You have done enough. If you had but listened to the DarkChild at the outset we would have gained much from this. But you allowed yourself to be goaded into anger and now we barely stand to come away equal to what we started as."  
  
"Damn the luck of that half-mortal bitch!"  
  
Baal glared at his brother for a long moment before answering. "Luck had nothing to do with this." Diablo looked up sharply. "The DarkChild has played her hand well. She is after something bigger than we yet know." Although Baal had his suspicions. "We will now barter with the Magus in the hopes that she will slip up before this matter is concluded."  
  
"I understand." Diablo conceaded. "I shall send-"  
  
"YOU shall do NOTHING!" Baal spoke loudly but did not yet yell. "You have done enough in this matter." Baal moved to one side to reveal Syndahiel waiting patiently behind him. "I will send Syndahiel to the DarkChild and she will conclude this event." He caught Diablos gaze with his own. "YOU will abide by whatever decision made there. Understood?"  
  
"Yes!" Diablo ground out while risking a glare at the Maiden of Deception. She was an apt choice for a negotiation, it just galled Diablo that he had helped make such a negotiation necessary. As his brother and Syndahiel left he quietly promised himself. "Someday, in someway DarkChilde, you will be made to pay for this insult and pay dearly."  
  
---------  
  
Upon his arrival within Illyanas private room Angel once again found himself dressed in his matching black silk ensamble from earlier. He shook his head and glanced around. He had appeared near the large fireplace which contained a blazing flame. Surrounded by cushions and pillows Angel guessed that it was time to relax. Illyana appeared a moment after him dressed in the same black silk sheath dress as before but this time it was a bit more transparent. Angel had little difficulty determining that she wore nothing beneath the dress.  
  
Illyana laughed a light happy sound as she moved to a large stretch of cushion and allowed herself to fall backwards upon them. "Come. Join me Angel." She had meant it to be a request but it came across as a command.  
  
Angel stiffened slightly and replied "Of course, Mistress." and started towards her. He could see her mentally kick herself with the quick frown and apologetic look.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm not used to switching modes so quickly like that." Illyana patted the space next to herself. "Please, join me." She entreated him further with such a sweet and innocent smile that Angel momentarily forgot what he had seen of her earlier. After he sat she handed him another goblet of the reddish-yellow liquid. "To a, so far, succesful venture." The glass chinked together and they drank.  
  
As Angel lower his glass he pondered his question then asked. "Why me?" As he spoke he knew what part of her answer would be. Because everyone else in Hell belonged there. But it wasn't the real question he was asking and Illyana knew it.  
  
"I could tell you all sorts of things." Illyana explained. "Some of them you might even believe, most of them not. I could tell you I was bored. Or that I couldn't stand by and let such an injustice be done." This last was said in mockingly noble voice. "I could even tell you that I am looking to redeem myself." She smiled at that like it was a joke unto itself. "But the big black ugly truth is that I see a chance for me to gain from all of this." She sipped her drink while she waited for him to responde.  
  
He jumped to the only conclusion. "I'm a pawn." He told her with a hint of disgust. To his surprise she laughed. It was a laugh of appreciation and surprise more than evil or happiness.  
  
"Oh no my dear Angel." She said "If I am the player then you," she leaned closer to him "my dear Angel," and even closer still "are my knight." she kissed his lips softly. "My knight in shining armour." As she kissed him the second time he leaned forward and kissed her back. It deepened and strengthened as it went on. Angel felt both of Illyanas hands upon his chest and sides feeling his muscles through the silk. He momentarily wondered where her drink went and then simply tossed his aside. She moaned as his hands began their own exploration of her body.  
  
There was a flash of light and they were both upon the bed with Illyana on top. She straddeled his waist as they kissed deeply, tongues battling for supremecy but both guaranteed to win. Angel felt his shirt dissolve into a mist and warm hands begin to caress his flesh. He grinned and pulled up on her dress.  
  
"Let me." She said and he shook his head no. There is something intrinsically erotic about undressing a woman and Angel knew this. She acquiesced to his silent desire. Allowing his hands to slide up her sides, pulling the sheath with them, he slowly revealed her perfect body.  
  
"Do you like what you see?" She asked, although she could feel that he did.  
  
"You. Are. Gorgeous." Angel breathed each word like a prayer. She smiled and blushed slightly which Angel found even more endearing. He pulled her down for another long kiss, reveling in the feel of her against his chest.  
  
They began to explore one anothers bodies. Sweaty flesh, grunts and moans and finally gasps of release. He collapsed onto the bed next to her. As one they turned their heads to look at one another.  
  
"Guess you haven't done that in awhile." Illyana said with a smile.  
  
"Not since..." Angel trailed off as he remembered Buffy and the results of their only copulation.  
  
"Buffy?" Illyana asked, a little cruelty entering her eyes. His eyes narrowed as he sat up. He recalled her saying that she had something to gain from all of this and now he wanted... no NEEDED to find out what it was.  
  
"What, presicely, are you going to gain from rescueing me?" He was afraid of the answer but he asked anyways.  
  
Illyana chuckled at him. "Not your seed if that's what you're wondering." He involuntarily let himself relax a bit.  
  
"Then what?" He demanded as he reached for his pants. Something about how the situation was turning made him want to be covered up. Because of this he missed Illyanas momentary glare at him.  
  
"Tell you what Angel." His name was said in a slightly mocking tone. "I'll answer one of two questions but not both. You can know what I am going to get out of this or what you are going to get out of this."  
  
That got his full attention back on the sorceress. He knew that she would answer either question truthfully. There was no reason for her to lie, he couldn't hope to stop her. He pulled his pants on as he scooted to the edge of the bed. Did he really want to know what the demoness wanted or not. Eventually he would find out his fate in all of this and he may never discover her true motivations on his own.  
  
He also considered whether or not he cared about her motivations or not. He turned at movement on the bed to find Illyana had stood and was stretching her arms above her head, still naked. She then walked to the foot of the bed while pulling her long hair onto her back. Once on the floor her white two piece outfit reappeared and she stood there patiently as Angel decided.  
  
"Alright, what happens to me when all of this is finished?" He finally asked and Illyana favored him with a knowing smile.  
  
"You get to go home." She said casually as she made her way towards the balcony again. Angel stood completely stunned for a moment and then hurried after her.  
  
"Back to Earth?" Angel asked as he reached her side once more.  
  
Illyana turned innocent eyes upon him "Yeah. Buffy, Giles and all those that love you so much." She paused but Angel ignored the sarcasm present in her voice. "Unless you think Hell is home." She pretended to think for a moment. "Then of course if you prefer Heaven..."  
  
Angel quickly put together the pieces of what she was saying to him. "You can't really...?" He trailed off with finger pointing upwards but the DarkChild knew what he was asking.  
  
"No. But I can reach those who can." The blond magus explained and then leaned into a strong cool breeze. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind escorting you across." They most certainly would mind but they'd have to do it anyhow. Those thoughts she kept to herself. Angel didn't even bother to ask why, he knew she wouldn't answer.  
  
Angel shook his head. He most desired to return to Earth and... Buffy. He wondered what it would be like to be human around her. He grinned at the memory of their first tryst together. His grin almost faded as he recalled the results of that night. At least that will never happen again. He reassured himself. He felt himself being watched and focused on Illyana again. "Earth would be fine."  
  
"I thought so." Illyana smiled. She knew that would be his response. It wasn't so much understanding Angel but understanding human nature. You always wanted to be with those you loved. Even if you weren't sure if they loved you. "But don't be surprised if your homecoming isn't all you expect it to be."  
  
Angels brow creased. "Angelous. I remember what he did while... I was gone." The deception and torture, evil and plotting were all in his mind as if he performed those acts himself. "I'll explain, although I'm sure they have already figured it out." They must have. His soul had been restored to him moments before the end. Only a powerful wicca or sorceress could have done that. Willow immediately sprang to mind. He had always believed that she had more talent than any one was giving her credit for, even herself.  
  
"Home is where the heart is." Illyana smiled without warmth.  
  
For some reason Ariochs words of her half-mortal soul, ran through Angels mind. It had confirmed Angels suspiscion that Illyana was indeed a half-breed human-demon. "What about you Illyana, where is your heart?" He suddenly blurted out. He hadn't meant to say anything, it had just sprung forward of its own violation.  
  
"Haven't you figured it out yet Angel?" Illyana asked without looking at him. "I have no heart and this" she indicated the realm around her "is my only true home."  
  
Angel didn't believe her. "What of the others who S'ym mentioned?" It was a risk that he was taking but he felt that it needed to be done. She looked sideways at him with narrowed eyes.  
  
"S'ym should learn to keep his mouth shut." Angel could hear her warning towards him as well. But she needed him so he didn't believe that she would harm him.  
  
"Since you do have friends you must know what its like to be accepted just as you are." Angel pointed out. "Even half-breeds have families who care for them." He didn't get the reaction he expected. She laughed. But it wasn't a nice laugh. It was mocking and full of scorn.  
  
"My friends, as you name them, trust me about as far as they could spit. And some not even that much." She turned fully towards him now. "You have no idea what you're talking about and I'm not about to let you do a psych eval on me." She put her back to him and walked towards the interior of her fortress.  
  
As Angel spoke to retreating backside she slowed to a stop. "You're a half-breed human-demon. Your family and friends don't understand and are afraid of you." She didn't say anything so he continued. "So you keep yourself distant from them and try to be as human as possible for them. Meanwhile your loyal subjects are jealous of your status due to your mixed heritage. You send mixed signals when your friends are here because you treat them with kindness and yet have to be cruel and forceful with your demons. In short you feel that you have two roles to play and neither one feels like yourself. You have to find your own path or you'll get lost inbetween." Angel was startled when she turned on him in full DarkChild form.  
  
"You know nothing about me." She yelled at him. "Allow me to disillusion you." Her face was a mask of rage and her soulsword, in hand, was blazing with silver fire. "I am not a half-breed as you suggested. I was born fully human and for six very short years I remained that way." She let the information sink in before saying "My soul was corrupted and remade into this places previous masters own image. Piece by piece I was reshaped into his DarkChild. I now stand here with only two fifths of my human soul left. The rest is this."   
  
Angel knew without asking that she meant the DarkChild. She became her mortal self again. "So do you know what I'm going through? NO! You haven't got a clue. Oh, I know how you were made and what you've gone through but at least your demon came from without. I am my own demon."  
  
"You can still try to be better than you are. It's all any of us can do." Angel insisted.  
  
"Don't you understand? My friends and family don't trust me. They! Are! Afraid! Of me! Oh they don't say it outright but I can see it in thier eyes and in their souls. Always wondering when little Illyana is going to become the DarkChild ONE last time. So NO, Angel, I don't have anyone." She stormed off into her chambers again. Angel quickly went after her.  
  
"Illyana!" He grabbed her arm and spun her back towards him. He found himself lifted off the floor by his throat and thrown across the room to land amoungst the cushions and pillows. He rubbed his neck where she had single handedly tossed him.  
  
"You have annoyed me once too often!" Her aspect was still human but her voice carried the threat of the DarkChild. "S'ym!" She called out and he appeared in a circle of light.  
  
"Yeah Boss?"  
  
"My guest has worn out his welcome." She told him. "Would you please find a way to entertain him for the rest of his stay." S'ym grinned and used one hand to pluck Angel from the cushions.  
  
"Illyana don't do this." Angel pleaded with her. He didn't want her to lose what was left of her innocence.  
  
"You will refer to me as Mistress or DarkChild!" She waved S'ym and Angel away. She watched as they vanished and then took herself to the throne room while denying that the single tear on her cheek existed. 


	7. Last moves

"Welcome to S'yms home little Angel." The pale purple demon growled at him as they appeared in what could only be described as a medieval torture chamber. Angel found every torture device he could name was in the room, along with some he couldn't. Some didn't even look like they were made for humans, and probably weren't.  
  
"You take great pride in your work don't you S'ym." Angel spoke to try and allieviate his fears.  
  
"Yup." Came S'yms response as he half carried Angel to a wicked machine.  
  
"You were here before DarkChild weren't you?" Angel asked, vainly trying to find some angle with which to save himself.  
  
"Be here long after she's gone too I bet." S'ym growled. Angel hadn't expected a response but the implications of this one stunned him. S'ym had worked for Limbo's previous master which meant that he probably administered punishments to his masters apprentice, Illyana.  
  
"How many times did you have Illyana in here?" He was fishing for information.  
  
S'ym grinned and Angels blood temp dropped a couple of degrees. "More than she would care to remember." S'ym pushed him up against a particularly lethal looking table which already contained an occupant. "Say 'ello to your ex-bodymate."  
  
Angel took another look but still couldn't recognize the mass of demonic flesh on the table. Angelous tilted his head towards the human and growled toothlessly. Angel swallowed hard and turned back to S'ym. The shadows seemed to pool around the demon and hide his visage from view except for the pair of narrowed glowing eyes. It took all of Angels will not to scream as S'ym grabbed him but that was the last time he was able to resist that urge for quiet awhile.  
  
---------  
  
After S'ym had removed Angel and himself from her chambers Illyana had teleported to her throne room and proceeded to sit smoldering upon her chair. None of her pets dared approach her while she remained in this dark of a mood. After a while she summoned her scrying crystal and peared into it.  
  
As she watched scene after scene of her own life flowed through the crystals lattice. Some were of happy times, her and her friends playing or relaxing, of her family and sometimes lover and of ones that were lost to her. Other scenes were of sad times, when things didn't go as they should or when the others took a step back from her. The latter seemed to out weigh the former.  
  
Her dark mood didn't lighten but it did shift, to one of remorse. She closed her eyes against the threat of tears and forced them down again. As she centered herself and regained her sense of purpose she felt a disturbance within her realm. Another had arrived, alone.  
  
Her power stretched out almost of it's own accord and took stock of this new comer. "Syndaheil." Illyana whisphered to herself. "And now the game begins in earnest." A twitch of a finger brought a lesser demon scampering to her side.  
  
"Yessss, Mistressss." The creature hissed.  
  
"We have another visitor." She stood from her throne. "Politely bring her here and make her comfortable." She motioned to the large cushioned chair on a new dais a few steps down from her own chair. Neither the chair nor stone landing had existed a moment before.  
  
"Yessss, Mistressss." The creature agreed.  
  
A simple thought then brought her to S'yms private chambers and the horrors within.  
  
---------  
  
"S'ym!"  
  
His mistresses voice was clearly heard through out the chamber while it had not raised in volume above a conversational level. "Gotta learn that lil' trick som'day." the demon muttered to himself as he placed a wicked knife on the table before him and went to bosses side. "Yeah Boss." He rumbled as he approached.  
  
"We have more company S'ym." Illyana told him while scanning the chamber for Angel. "I need to have Angel fit and ready for an audience... Soon." The threat was unspoken but definitly there.  
  
"Um..." S'ym glanced over his shoulder. "Didn't realize you wanted him so soon."  
  
Illyana closed her eyes and shook her head in dissappointment. "Just tell me that he is still in one piece."  
  
"Uh, yup... just barely." S'ym explained as he lead his mistress to one of his many work tables. "Made sure to keep him alive and consicous through the whole thing too."  
  
Illyana's eyes narrowed at her chief demon "You went easy on him."  
  
S'ym felt a chill race up and down his demonic spine. There had been times when S'ym had had to send quickly for Belasco to 'repair' the damage he had inflicted upon his DarkChild. If Illyana felt that his holding back was in any way a sign of betrayal he may die to regret it, a few hundred times. "No Mistress." He then corrected himself. "Well, yes but you's said entertain and not damage or nothing."  
  
Illyana was still tempted to vent some of her wrath upon her servant but then brushed it off. "Show me." She dismissed the issue with that simple command. As Angel came into view Illyana smiled.  
  
"Poor Angel, maybe you feel that you would have been better off with Angelous and Diablo in Hell?" She didn't really expect an answer and although he was awake she wasn't sure he could answer. "Well don't worry, you might yet get that wish. It all depends on how well this next little meeting goes." She made an arcane gesture with her hand and Angel began to regenerate before her eyes. "If all goes well you will soon be on your way back to Earth. But if not ..." she shrugged "You may soon wish for S'yms tender mercies." She spared the demon a cold smile. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind a new playtoy for, oh say, eternity."  
  
By now Angel had recovered enough to be able to speak "I would rather die, you bitch." He spat out at her.  
  
Illyana laughed. "But Angel whether you lived or died would rest solely within my hands." She held up said appendages formed as the DarkChild, her claws poised as if to rip his lungs out. When Angel shivered uncontrollably she laughed even harder as she brought the three of them once more to her main hall.  
  
---------  
  
He was surprised to find himself dressed again in the black silk drawstring shirt and pants, along with stretch slippers on his feet. He took this in directly after noticing the throne room had been re-organized to seat a guest just below and to the right of the DarkChild. The new chair remained empty, for now.  
  
The throne, on the other hand, was now occupied by Illyana's lithe and powerful form. Her reignment had once again become that of her upper chest and arms encased in eldritch armour and her legs fully revealed by a white split skirt, held in place with a metal belt.  
  
"Now we find out just how badly they want you back." Illyana smiled at him but it lacked anything resembling warmth. She reclined casually in her chair and motioned to the step at her feet. "Seat yourself."  
  
It was a command which could be disobeyed but it wasn't worth the consequences. Angel placed himself in the indicated spot and resisted the urge to growl. He was beginning to wonder how long they were going to have to wait just as the double doors upon the other end of the room silently opened.  
  
The single form the doors admitted was a human female in shape, eight feet tall, and that is where the resemblance ended. Her skin was a dark violet, almost black, her eyes were solid glowing red and her hair was as white as her teeth and fangs. She was wearing an ornate white bikini top and long white split skirt which didn't reveal as much as the DarkChilds.  
  
"Syndahiel." Angel whispered. He hadn't meant to say it out loud, it had just slipped. Illyana glared at the back of his head before putting on a welcoming face for her guest.  
  
"Syndahiel." Illyana stood as she spoke "Welcome to my home." She smiled graciously and swept an arm towards the chair near herself. "Please be seated."  
  
Syndahiel returned the curtesy with a slight bow and smile. "I thank you young Magus." Her voice was beautiful and only slightly echoing with power, which was a deception in itself. She carefully arranged her skirt as she placed herself upon the chair. "I am quiet pleased with the reception I have thus far received. I, unlike my cousin, truly respect you and your power. I have no wish to continue any unpleasentness between our realms."  
  
"Neither do I." Agreed the Mistress of Limbo. "I assume that you are here to collect your wayward cousin but perhaps we could use this opportunity to get to know each other as well." As she spoke her eyes seemed to fill with a light of desire as she watched her guest. The look was not lost to either guest before her.  
  
Syndahiel seemed surprised but pleased to hear Illyana suggest such a course of action. "It would be my pleasure." She admitted. "Unfortunately such things must wait for the moment. How fairs my cousin and his Angelous?" She asked. It was a signal that it was time to get down to business.  
  
"Not as well as when they first arrived." Illyana admitted with a half grin. She motioned and four big demons appeared holding the captives between them. Arioch looked better but was still obviously very weak while Angelous was mostly recovered from his injuries. Angel assumed that Illyana had sped his healing along for some reason or another. He couldn't imagine a vampire being able to out-heal a Named Demon.  
  
Syndahiel stood and approached her peer. "Poor Arioch, to have been brought so low." There definitly was no love between these family members. "You have disappointed Lord Baal and Diablo." Arioch visibly cringed at the mention of Baal, the Lord of Destruction. Syndahiel turned and gave Angelous a cursory look then returned to her seat.  
  
"As you can see" The Mistress of Limbo smiled prettily "They are not permanetly damaged." She paused for a moment. "The same cannot be said for some of my denizens though." Her voice carried a note of sadness upon it. Angel couldn't tell if it was feigned or not.  
  
"I understand." Syndahiel spoke softly. Her angry gaze peirced Arioch for a moment before returning to gently reguard the girl on the throne. "What recompese do you desire?"  
  
Illyana pretended to consider this for a moment. "I want Angel and I want all other claims on him discarded." Her wounded act was gone and replaced with the steel of the deal.  
  
Syndahiel nodded as she considered this. "He would not be allowed to leave Limbo... ever." She countered.  
  
Illyana shook her head negatively. "Unacceptable. I need him to be able to return to Earth." She weighed options in her head then said "If I was given leave to call upon a Named Demon for a single task." She nodded "Yes, that would be agreeable."  
  
Syndahiel couldn't agree to that and everyone knew it. To allow a Named Demon to be called upon even for a single task by a half-mortal would ruin that demons reputation. "DarkChild, please. Maybe there is another way we can arrange to return Angel to Earth." She looked thoughtfully into Illyana's blue eyes. "What if Angel was returned with Angelous in residence?"  
  
"NO!" Angel snapped which promptly got him backhanded off his seat and down the stairs away from the Mistress of Limbo. He kept quite as he glared up at Illyana.  
  
"That would be acceptable." Illyana agreed after a short time. She could barely keep herself from jumping around in glee. "I will rejoin them and place them back whence they came."  
  
"You will, of course, erase any memory of this time from their minds." Syndahiel requested. She glanced at Angel as he stood up but made no move to come forward. He would have been running if he wasn't sure that Illyana or one of her pets wouldn't bring him back in less than a minute.  
  
"Of course." Illyana agreed. She too spared Angel a look and a smirk.  
  
She planned this from the start. He thought to himself. Including the bargaining session. The realization actually filled him with more respect for the young girls abilities and daring.  
  
"And this will secure the release of Arioch with no grudges attached." Syndaheil replied and Illyana nodded. They stood together, the difference in steps putting them at eye level, and clasped forearms.  
  
"Thus the pact is made." They intoned together. Angels head bowed in defeat.  
  
Syndaheil turned to Angel "A pity" as she spoke her fangs were very visible "I do wish I had been able to sample the flesh before he left."  
  
Illyana turned her lethal smile on Angel "Perhaps... I can interest you in some other flesh." The demonesses reguarded each other. "I am free to... roam you know." She was rewarded with an equally lethal smile from the Maiden of Deception.  
  
"I shall take you up on that offer." Syndaheil agreed. "But first, come cousin, there is one who wishes to speak with you." She strode over to Arioch who had gotten noticable better and grasped his upper arm.  
  
He glared at the DarkChilde "This... is... not... over!" he hissed at her.  
  
"Unfortunately it is," Illyana told him. " beacuse next time, I would have to kill you." Her cold voice and demeanor convinced Angel if noone else. Syndaheil tipped her head to her host and a stepping disk whisked them away. Illyana fell onto her throne and threw a little happy fit for herself. "I just love it when a plan comes together."  
  
"Oh yeah." Angel spoke with heavy sarcasm "If you call pissing off a couple of the biggest powers in Hell a good thing."  
  
Illyana let the lask of any honorific pass by and smiled lightly down on Angel. "You can't begin to understand what I've done here."  
  
"Hmmm, let me guess." He said as he reclimbed the stairs to her throne. "Stole me. Defeated Arioch, after letting him think he had a chance. And parlayed with Syndaheil for his and my life. All for..." He raised his eyebrows at Illyana as he drew the moment out. "a chance, a chance mind you, of sinking your claws into Syndaheil, Maiden of Deception."  
  
Illyana sat up and narrowed her eyes at S'ym and then Angel. "I'm not sure how you put that together but I'll give you that you're right. But now-" She was cut off by the mortal man.  
  
"Because, even though you can go anywhere, one thing always remains the same. You look like you." Angel pointed to make his point. "With a bit of Syndaheils energy backing you, you could cast perfect glamours. I doubt that anything could detect them... Maybe not even the Prime powers of Hell itself."  
  
"That's a given. It's the source of her power. They wouldn't bother to check something for thier own glamour." Illyana finished for him.  
  
"That can only mean one thing... there's something in Hell you want and you don't want the Prime's to know you have it." Angel pronounced.  
  
Illyana smiled her wicked smile. "Oh, Angel I should have kept you here with me. We would have been glorious." She stood and stepped close to him. "I could have made you my equal, instead you must go back." She finished with a frown.  
  
"Don't send me back." Angel said quickly. "Destroy Angelous, defy them. They can't hurt you here."  
  
She seemed to consider it "But I'm not always here. If I did that they would never rest until they had my head. At least this way they can escape with some dignity and they may forget. But to do as you ask...." She shook her head regretfully.  
  
"HA, brother, she has rejected you." Angelous sneared at him. "And don't think they will forget. Arioch will avenge this insult a thousand fold bitch!"  
  
He would have continued but Illyana cut him off "ENOUGH! S'ym, bring them together!" She commanded and it was done. "Good bye Angel. I will remember you but you shall never remember me." She then began casting her spells. The first was an enjoining spell similar to the Thesselian Orb curse the Gypsies used so long ago. This brought the two similar forms together as one. The second was a spell of forgetfullness with a slight touch to alter Angel into a wild beast like state. A mortal simply wouldn't have remained sane after extended exposure to Hell.  
  
S'ym grunted slightly as he clamped his hands harder around Angels shoulders. "He's a fighter now!" He then grinned because he really wasn't expending much effort at all.  
  
Illyana waved him to silence as she scanned Angels continuim in her scrying crystal. When she found the right time she smiled and sat back. "Release him!" She commanded. S'ym was surprised but shrugged and let go. 'Angel' launched himself at the pretty blond only to find himself swallowed by a stepping disk. 


	8. The End

The claughter ring had barely stopped moving in the basement of the mansion, after Buffy had left it there, when a flash of light ripped through the room. Angels nude form landed on the floor near the ring, shivered and lay still. In the deepest shadows of the room something darker moved. A blacker than black form stepped close to the souled vampire and knelt beside it. Arioch brought his mouth close to Angels ear.  
  
"Remember" he intoned "and remember it well." As he stood again his form frayed and dissolved into the lighter shade of shadows and was gone.  
  
---------  
  
Illyana was pleased with herself. It had all gone well. Even misleading Angel at the end. An attempt to take something from Hell, indeed. As if there was anything Hell contained that she could want or use. She turned and re-entered her chambers as a current of power was felt from within them. Now standing in front of her was the Arch-Angel Ambrous. His magnificent ethereal wings seemed to stretch from this dimension into others as they moved seemingly of their own accord. His golden plate armour moved as he did with no resistance. He was unarmed as he was a guest in her home.  
  
"You have done well." Ambrous spoke to her. "The Powers-That-Be are pleased with the results."  
  
"As am I." Illyana told him as she absently sat near him. She gave no indication that she was impressed or afraid of his display.  
  
"Although you have taken a substantial risk incurring the wrath of Diablo and Baal."  
  
"They can only act through intermediaries. Nothing I can't handle. I'm only going to be concerned if you lose this little conflict of yours." Illyana needled him.  
  
"Pray that never comes to pass. For then realities without number will burn in Hell."  
  
"Now that my part is complete, let's talk about your part." Illyana leant forward slightly. She was eager for this to be over, for many reasons.  
  
"What is your desire?"  
  
She opened the medalion which had just appeared in her hand. The inside was beautifully carved and sculpted to form a five point pentegram. At each tip of the pentegram was a socket for a bloodstone, three of which were filled. Each bloodstone represented one fifth of her soul. To place all five would mean the end of her own reality. Her request was simple.  
  
"Remove them."  
  
Ambrous stepped forward and looked down upon the amulet. "I cannot."  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she stood and confronted him. "Can't or won't."  
  
"I am unable to remove the bloodstones from the Beatrice Medalion." He clarified.  
  
"Then bring me someone who CAN!" Illyana demanded her eyes shining lightly with power.  
  
Ambrous looked towards the Heavens and quietly consulted with his masters. As he looked down at the young Magus she already knew what the answer would be. "They will not acquiese to this demand."  
  
"DAMN you to the Stygian depths! You promised, anything within your power and now you're welching on the F---ING deal." Her eyes blazed with yellow fury. She had tried to convince herself that they would follow through but something had warned her they wouldn't. "Up hold your end of the bargain or I'll send Angel back to Hell where he belongs!"  
  
"If you do we *will* simply collect his soul and give him the peace he deserves. We agreed to this because we wished to have another soldier for the light on Earth."  
  
"You owe me Arch-Angel!" Somehow she made the title a curse.  
  
"And you will collect. Just not today." He paused then spoke softly. "Forgive us this. You will see our reasons in the future." Ambrous looked over his shoulder. "Your other guest has arrived. It would not do well for her to know of my presence here." He bowed and walked to the balcony. "Dispair not DarkChild you will be well compensated for your work." He then leapt from the balcony, winged through the air for a ways and then vanished through a ripple in the air.  
  
"You had better believe it you sanctimonious bastard." Illyana whispered after him. A whisper of movement behind her made her smile as Syndahiel joined her. They were both dressed as they had been in the throne room but Syndaheil had taken on equal proportions to her hostess. The equality in size allowed her to embrace Illyana from behind and rest her head on the blonds shoulder.  
  
"Has it gone well with you?" Illyana asked. Her demeanor was now one of total happiness and pleasure.  
  
The Maiden smiled. "Yes. Arioch is to be punished for a time and I am free to roam... and to be with you." The Powers-That-Be could be generous to those that helped their cause, especially of their own accord, and in this they had relaxed their restrictions on Syndaheil.  
  
"Excellent!" Illyana crowed, turned to her and took her hands. "And now, lover what shall we do first?" She asked with a suggestive gleam in her eye.  
  
Syndaheil smiled "I have heard of this place called Asgard and..."  
  
"You wanted to raise a little Hell in Valhalla?" She continued when the Maiden nodded. "That's funny, I was thinking of the same thing. And... I have a debt or two to pay there." The two laughed quietly as a stepping disk appeared and took them away. 


End file.
